Traverse assembly for yarn package winding machines



R. H. BREEN March 13, 1956 TRAVERSE ASSEMBLY FOR YARN PACKAGE WINDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 5, 1953- INVENTOR JQOBERT/ZBREEMI United States Patent TRAVERSE ASSEMBLY FOR YARN PACKAGE WINDING MACHINES Robert H. Breen, Mountain View, N. 3., assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleville, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 5, 1953, Serial No. 390,341

Claims. (Cl. 242-18) The present invention relates to machines for winding packages of yarn thread and the like, generally known as universal winders, and, more particularly, to an improved traverse assembly for such winding machines.

Winding machines of the aforementioned type generally comprise a rotating spindle carrying a tubular or conical spool on which the yarn is WOIll'ld, and a traverse mechanism for leading the yarn back and forth across the spool while the yarn is being wound thereon. This mechanism essentially comprises a rotating steel traverse cam having a helical groove in its periphery, a steel traverse frame guideway, a steel slide block movable in the ideway and carrying a steel cam follower roller positioned in the cam groove, a steel traverse bar secured to the slide block, a yarn guide holder attached to the bar, and a metallic bearing attached to the holder and arranged to slide along a portion of a steel traverse frame back which is adapted to swing away from the spindle as the package grows in size.

Such winding machines are usually operated at a speed so that the cam makes between about 150 and about 250 revolutions per minute to reciprocate the yarn guide once during each revolution of the cam. When operating at such speeds, the traverse mechanism makes considerable noise, causes the machine to vibrate vigorously and subjects the steel and metallic elements thereof to considerable wear. These conditions have been tolerated for more than fifty years and no substantial progress has been made in entirely eliminating or greatly minimizing the same.

The present invention aims to eliminate or greatly minimize the noise, vibration and wear heretofore occasioned in connection with the operation of such types of winding machines at the usual winding speeds, and to permit such machines to be operated at much higher winding speeds without encounteringsuch difiiculties whereby the overall efficiency of the winding machines is increased.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved traverse assembly for such winding machines which is simple and economical in construction.

Another object is to provide such a traverse assembly which is extremely light in weight but yet sufiiciently rugged in construction to withstand rough usage at much higher than normal winding speeds.

A further object is to provide such a traverse assembly which is readily installed on newly constructed winding machines as well as on winding machines already in the field.

A still further object is to provide such a traverse assembly which can be merchandized as a speed-up kit for modernizing old machines.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

ICC

In accordance with the invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished in connection with yarn package winding machines of the type including a traverse cam, a traverse frame guideway and a traverse frame back by providing a traverse assembly which generally comprises slide means for the guideway, cam follower means on the slide means, a traverse bar secured to the slide means, a yarn guide holder attached to the traverse bar, and slide bearing means for the back secured to the holder, and with at least one, but preferably all, of the means being formed of a molded plastic material having the properties of nylon. In such an assembly, the bar and the holder preferably are formed of aluminum or other light metal or, if desired, the holder may be formed of the aforementioned type of plastic material.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a yarn package winding machine which is of the type adapted to be improved by utilizing the present invention wherein the conventional parts of the machine are shown in light lines, somewhat schematically and without shading, and wherein the traverse assembly in accordance with the invention is shown in heavier lines and has shading applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the slide means for the traverse frame guideway and the cam follower, illustrating the manner in which the traverse bar is secured to the slide means.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the yarn guide holder and slide bearing means for the back taken along the line 3-3 and illustrating in section the manner in which the holder is secured to the traverse bar.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a conventional winding machine of the aforementioned type which essentially comprises a rotating traverse cam 10 having a helical groove 11, a traverse frame slide track or guideway 12, a traverse frame back 14 having a track portion 15, and a rotating spindle 16 carrying a spool 17 on which the yarn is wound; and a traverse assembly 20 in accordance with the present invention.

This traverse assembly comprises slide means 21 for the guideway 12, a cam follower roller 22 on the slide means positioned in the cam groove 11, a traverse bar 24 secured to the slide means, a yarn guide holder 25 attached to the bar 24, and slide bearing means 26 carried by the holder 25 for engaging the track portion 15.

The slide means or slide block assembly 21, as shown in Fig. 2, comprise a slide block 27 and a cam roller carrier 28. The block 27 is somewhat Z-shaped and includes a flange 2? having a longitudinal bore 39 extending therethrough and being formed on the underside with a contour 31 adapted to slidably fit into the guideway 12, a second flange 32 having a recess or opening 33 between the ends thereof and a Web 34 connecting the flanges 29 and 32.

The carrier 28 is a plate-like member adapted to be secured to the underside of the flange 32 by screws 36 (Fig. l) or the like and is formed with a boss or thickened section 37 on the upper side between the ends thereof which fits into the flange recess 33, and is formed with a stud or pin 33 on the lower side thereof directly opposite the boss for rotatably mounting the roller 22.

The block 27 is formed of a moldable plastic such as nylon or a similar plastic having the physical properties of nylon. This material has a high strength for Weight ratio, forms an ideal slide bearing surface which requires a minimum of lubrication and is not afiected by lubricants, and has sufiicient resilience to cushion shock and vibration and thereby greatly minimize noise in sliding along the guideway 12. The roller 22 is formed of similar material and thus is adapted to cushion the shock or sideslap caused by the traverse cam in reversing the direction of'travel of the slide block, but is sufliciently tough to maintain its circular shape. The carrier plate is formed of a light metal such as aluminum which is readily press formed or machined, and by reason of its construction it affords a sturdy axle for the roller and reinforces the flange 32 of the slide block.

The traverse bar 24 comprises a rod section 40 and a tube section 41 which are threadedly secured to vary the length of the bar and are both formed of aluminum or other light metal.

As shown in Fig. 2, the unsecured end of the rod section 40 extends through the slide block bore 30, with its free end projecting slightly beyond the end of the bore, and has an enlargement such as a collar 42 thereon which engages the slide block at the other end of the bore to fi'x the position of the rod section with respect to the slide block. The free projecting end has a washer 44 mounted thereon, which abuts the' slide block, and is peened over the washer to form a head 45 which cooperates with the collar to secure the rod section and the slide block together.

As shown in Fig. 3, the unsecured end of the tube section 41 is provided with a side slot 46 for receiving a foot 47 formed on the yarn guide holder 25 and with a threaded bore section at the free end for receiving a screw 48 adapted to securely mount the foot in the slot.

The yarn guide holder 25 is more or less conventional in construction except that it is constructed of light metal or other material to maintain its mass at a minimum.

The slide bearing means 26 comprises a block of nylon or-its equivalent which is secured to the holder 25 by screws 50 or the like. This block includes a flat face 51 (Fig. 3) adapted to slidably contact a flat side surface 52 on the track portion 15 anda hook-shaped portion 54 provided with a triangular recess adapted to receive a generally triangular section 55 of the track portion 15. Like the slide block 21, and the roller 22, the block 26 reduces noise and cushions vibration and possesses the other advantages set forth.

It has been found that traverse assemblies constructed in' accordance with the disclosure herein have a mass of about 35% of the conventional assemblies used heretofore. Tests have further proven that the traverse speed could be increased over that which was considered the upper limit of safe operation of prior traverse assemblies without approaching the noise level of such prior assemblies when operating below top speed. These advantages are due in part to the drastic reduction in mass and the properties of the nylon material which has strength and a noise silencing efiect. Still further tests withotherwise conventional traverse assemblies have indicated that the substitution of a nylon slide block, roller or slide bearing, singly, reduces noise greatly. The use oftwo of these elements reduces the noise even more, and the use of all three of these elements eliminates practically all traverse noise, even when the mass of the traverse assembly is not trimmed down to its extreme minimum as is contemplated herein. It was also found that these nylon elements withstand use over long periods without perceptible signs of wear, thus demonstrating that the elements need not be replaced frequently and thereby reduce maintenance and servicing to a minimum.

A further and very important advantage is that the nylon elements greatly minimize wear of the metal parts in sliding contact therewith, whereby the useful life of the cam 10, the guidway 12 and the track portion 15 is prolonged four fold and the expense of frequently replacing these parts, as heretofore required, is eliminated.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved traverse assembly which has many advantages and yet is simple, economical and durable in construction.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A slide block assembly for a yarn package winding machine of the type including a grooved traverse cam and a traverse frame guideway, said assembly comprising a slide block formed of a molded plastic material having the properties of nylon, said block having a flange adjacent the upper end at one side thereof formed with a contour to cooperate with the guideway and having a second flange adjacent the lower end at the opposite side thereof formed with an opening; a metallic carrier plate formed with a boss on the upper side thereof fitted into said opening and formed with a stud on the lower side; means for securing said carrier plate to the underside of said second flange, and a cam groove follower roller rotatably mounted on said stud.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said opening is located about midway between the ends of said second flange and said stud is directly opposite said boss.

3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said plate and said boss and stud thereon are integrally formed of light metal.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said roller is formed of said plastic material.

5. In a yarn package winding machine traverse, the combination of a metallic traverse cam having a cam groove, a slide block having a metallic pin thereon, and a cam follower roller rotatably mounted on said pin and disposed in said cam groove, said roller being formed of a molded plastic material having the properties of nylon and serving as a cushion between said pin and said cam to substantially eliminate noise therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,024 Joyner Nov. 8, 1932 2,390,669 Stearn Dec. 11, 1945 2,646,228 Dyer July 21, 1953 2,650,036 Berkepeis Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 410,180 Italy Mar. 25, 1945 460,471 Italy Nov. 30, 1950 

